Here at the Adopt-a-Library Literacy Program, we want our name to be synonymous with kids being excited about reading … but we can’t do it without your help!

We are here to help you, to help us. We’re already big (international, even!) but we want to be in more countries. We want to hand out more free books to kids. Because literacy is without a doubt one of the biggest determinants of life-long success, adaptability, employability and (as you might imagine given all of those factors) overall happiness. The smiles that we’re putting on the faces of those kids when we give them a book, or when we award their school a trophy for setting a new reading record, will be there to stay.

So get in touch with us!

The AALLP brand is a resource for you to use. We’re here to support you with our resources and ideas, but the strength of AALLP is its members’ creativity, imaginations and willingness to do good for their communities.

Important note: If you are a registered AALLP member and are going to use the AALLP logo, please advise us via email, so we are aware of how our trademark is being used, and what community events you are involved with.

A common strategy that has worked in the past to get AALLP started in many areas is as follows:

Police contact local businesses to explain the need to support literacy as a means of crime prevention.

Items are donated to libraries that are in turn used as prizes and incentives to encourage children to visit their local libraries.

Cash donations are welcomed and are used for obtaining new books.

Donations may also be used for much-needed furniture and materials for the library or school.

In addition, donations have enabled libraries to better advertise and sign children up for summer reading programs, which has been a proven component of increasing literacy. Remember: if you a member of a Rotary Club or other service organization, we know that these clubs want to help, but do not always know how.

Here are a few suggestions for ways you can use the Adopt-a-Library Literacy Program as a stepping stone to enable a rich community involvement that is very easy, effective and rewarding.

Have your service club partner with a local school or library, and police department and suggest that the club sponsor an involvement with AALLP. Purchase a “WOW!” Treasure Chest for the library and children can take part in an ongoing contest – if they read 10 books, they can take a prize from the chest. This is a great, easy way to motivate kids to read – it won’t take long before they realize that reading is its own reward!

Encourage your local library to join the WOW! Reading Challenge which runs annually. They can compete against other schools or municipal districts for prizes for the most books read per student in different age groups.

Arrange for a number of “Read with Rotary” (or similar service club-oriented event) days at the library or in classrooms where Rotarians and police read books to a group of students. This is a wonderful way to bridge those who serve the community, police and students. Politicians, local businesses and young service club members are often eager to attend these public reading events, and they make a great excuse to have a holiday-themed event!

What are the benefits of being a partner of the Adopt-a-Library Literacy Program?

You are joining a constantly growing international program that directly helps benefit communities and fosters open communication and resource-sharing among important public institutions.

You or your organization will be recognized among your community as aiding in the long-term struggle against crime and illiteracy.

Helping to raise awareness about the importance of reading, illiteracy’s deep connection with criminal behaviour, and the indispensability of public libraries.

Tax-deductible donations. If you are interested supporting AALLP, either through discounts, donated funds/items/services, or to help us pass along our message to the rest of Canada and the world, please discuss the idea with your local police force, library or elementary/middle school. If you have questions, please contact us!Note: The purpose of AALLP us to promote childhood literacy, and any products donated become AALLP property and will be distributed at the discretion of the board of directors.

For individuals, here are some of the best, simplest ways anyone can become part of the Adopt-a-Library team.

Encourage a child to read, or read to a child.

Talk to us!

Donate!

One more thing you should know about AALLP: once you start helping get kids excited about reading, it gets addictive!